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Thursday, January 26, 2017

{jane bosi} We had a new preacher on Sunday who preached a great message and totally inspired my time in the Word. I don't often find myself in Deuteronomy, but here is where I have dwelt so far this week. Deuteronomy 6:1-7:

“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it,2 that you may fear the Lord
your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his
statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your
life, and that your days may be long.3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.7 You
shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you
lie down, and when you rise."

I work with a lot of kids who struggle to follow rules, struggle to understand the point behind many rules and in general find themselves wandering in one desert after another desperately trying to find their way. They need leading, but like the rest of us stubborn humans, leading is the last thing they seem able to seek, let alone accept.

Rules {commands} are all about God's desire to remain in relationship with His children. His law teaches us how to stay with Him.....how, blessedly simple is that? His law is about His affection for us! I get that....because in my humanly parental heart, I know what it feels like to want my child to stay...to share who they are, to talk to me, to seek my counsel, to allow me to tend their pain and share their joy....no matter how old they get. I want them to stay. God wants me to stay. He wants you to stay.

Hopin' to touch some hearts with this perspective and simple truth.....

I have to add a quick little note about my bible journal page, too! I {heart} the way it turned out! I used three different alphabet stamp sets: Shake It Off Caps and Lowercase and Outline Alpha. I also used a few other sets for accents: Stand Tall and Bottom of My Heart. I stamped everything and then masked off some of the accents and the Outline Alpha letters. I used post-it notes because I don't have a better idea...it's kind of putzy, but I like that (especially while watching the Packer game....I need my coping skills!). After everything was masked off, I applied four different colors of Ranger Distress Inks. To finish things off, I added a page marker, some white signa pen outlines and a little bit of sparkle. Don't you love that sweet little birdie?? (Stand Tall)

Monday, January 23, 2017

Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “O sun, stand still at Gibeon, and O moon in the valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies.

Joshua 10:12-13

Hello Sweet 'n Sassy Friends!

Our God is a God of miracles... a God of impossibilities. Joshua not only believed that, but he ACTED upon that. And, this wasn't the first time he acted upon his faith. Time and time again, we see Joshua faithfully following God wherever He led. On this particular day, Joshua was in a battle with the Amorites on behalf of the Gibeonites. In Joshua 10:8, God told Joshua that He would deliver the Amorites into Joshua's hands. Daylight was running out, so Joshua prayed big! And God answered BIG. "And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.There was no day like that before it or after it, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel." Joshua 13-14. Pretty cool, right??!!

We have that same God. If you're like me, sometimes God goes in a box. A human sized box. I want to pray like Joshua... out of the box... big and expectantly. Don't you too?

For the page, I used 3 Sweet 'n Sassy sets: Seek Him, Shake It Off Lowercase Alpha, and Lynzee Script Alpha. I love all these sets, and use them over and over in my Bible journaling. I drew the sun and used watercolors to color it in. I also used a Micron pen to hand letter "stand" and a Faber-Castell big brush pen to color in "pray". I hand letter some, but I love being able to use alpha sets because I'm still learning hand lettering. Using the alpha sets makes lettering quick, easy, and pretty!

Thursday, January 19, 2017

God is constantly working on our behalf. Whether we are in the midst of a personal storm, struggling with spiritual or physical health, hold on. God is still for you and He is doing something in your circumstances. His activity is never in vain and His Word to us will never be rendered useless. He will accomplish the purposes His has for your life.

My Bible journaling for this post took me to James 5:7-11. We are encouraged to HOLD ON because God is not finished with His work in our lives until He carries us home.

My daughter-in-law is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer and she has certainly exemplified this passage. She is a testimony to God's faithful work in her life. She has been patient, has remained steadfast in joy and faithfulness. Her heart is fully established in the Lord. She is blessing others as she goes through this trial.

I used the newly released stamp, God Is For You for the margin and added hand-lettering. I've also used Seek Him (other stamped words in margin) and Scribble Flowers for the page design.

Monday, January 16, 2017

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

When I heard this message I immediately thought of this image from Krista Hamrick. It shows so much love and the message in the bible shows that too (James 4). There are many things we (can) do wrong. But when we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. When we humble ourselves before the Lord, He will lift us up. God is so gracious, He still wants to heal us if we only draw near to Him.

So I want to draw near to God, to be in His presence, so that He can do His works through me.

Friday, January 13, 2017

I'm sharing my first journaling project of 2017! I'm not much for
resolutions and stuff like that. I try to take life day to day and am
always trying to be my best self!

I did, however, spend
the first weekend of the new year, like I spend many, creating and
reflecting on the Word. This is also my first free hand drawing....it
was scary-ish, but I had some awesome alphabet sets from Sweet 'N Sassy
to pull it all together. All of Me Alpha, Shake It Off Caps, Shake It Off Lowercase.

My
study started with Romans 12 and the advice to not conform to this
world but to be transformed.....sage and wonderful advice! You can see
from my under lines, I find this message noteworthy and to be
remembered. As it happens often, my study turned to a wandering through
the word backwards from where I was (kind of like how my life works)
and I found a true gem without meaning to look for it. I love how His
Word so richly meets us where we are and provides insight and
inspiration we aren't even aware we need!

Romans
11:18-20: "...remember it is not you who supports the root, but the
root that supports you. Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so
that I might be grafted in." This is true. They were broken off
because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not
become proud, but fear."

All those times I try to fix
or figure things for myself--I need to be reminded that it is not me,
but the Root that supports me.....such a hard lesson at times, but a
good place to dwell, especially at the start of a new year.

Monday, January 9, 2017

On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times.The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the town!

Joshua 6:15-16

Joshua 6. This has to be one of my favorite Bible stories for a couple reasons. God's promises and faithfulness are shown in two very different, but very big ways.

1. The walls of Jericho come down

2. God's promise to Rahab is met

Both roads leading to these promises had questionable (by my standards) directions. In all honesty, walking around a wall would have seemed like a silly request, and taking in men sent to take the town would have been terrifying. Did the people think it was silly? Probably. Was Rahab scared out of her wits? Possibly. Or maybe all of these people had childlike faith and believed without question. Either way, they acted, and they received God's promise to them.

What promise has God made you? Does the road seem odd and scary? Are you stuck in fear, or are you moving? Move, friends. This morning when I read this devotional (First 5 app) I knew it was a reminder I needed. Sometimes the journey to God's promises seem long, and maybe they truly are. Maybe His promise will take a few days to even a few years. I will be honest and say that I have stopped my march a few times. I have grown weary or fearful and stopped moving. Friends, God will never stop waiting for you. He never gives up because He knows what awaits you at the finish.

Be encouraged and keep going. His promises will always be worth the journey.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

My Bible journal page for today required a lot of layers so I was a leery of going directly into my Bible with it; therefore, I created a vellum insert. It is fairly simple. The year (in a fun way) and the verse I wanted to concentrate on...

2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

This seemed a fitting verse for a New Year...this is a new beginning with all the potential in the world. I didn't make any resolutions, but I do want to be a better listener this year. I have many things I have been praying for and this year, I need to "listen" for the answer. I am excited and anxious, but I know that God has a plan for me and, if I listen to Him and not try to go my own way, it will be revealed.

Monday, January 2, 2017

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Happy New Year, Sweet 'n Sassy Friends!

Have you ever received an invitation that excited you? A birthday party? A Christmas celebration? A graduation? A marriage? Our Savior has extended an invitation to us that far exceeds any other invitation we will ever receive. Many invitations are beautifully done with poems or pictures and all the pertinent information. Jesus' invitation is just three simple words, but so beautiful are those words: Come to Me. Come to Me when you are weary. Come to Me when you are burdened. Matthew 11:28 speaks specifically about coming to Jesus when we are weary and burdened. But His invitation extends to more: Come to Me when you are happy. Come to Me when you are sad. Come to Me when you are excited. Come to Me when you are disappointed. Come. To. Me. ALWAYS. Dear friends, isn't that a wonderful invitation? And He'll never turn us away. He's always there, waiting to give us rest. Life can be so many things, but Jesus is our resting place.

Sweet Jesus, You are amazing! Human words cannot explain how wonderful You truly are. Help me to remember that You are my resting place; that I can come to You anytime, anywhere. Thank You, Lord, for inviting me to You. There's no place I'd rather be. In Your holy name, I pray. Amen.